Big boy not gaining

[sassie23]

DS born 10lb 8ozs went down to 9lb 6 ozs by day 3 as my milk hadn't come in. Had to go backto hospital and have formula top ups for approx 4 days roughly 20-40ml after every breastfeed. He went up to 9lb 12ozs by day 8 but we are now on day 15 and had HV yesterday and he has gone down to 9lb 11oz. Am feeding every 2 hours during the day and 2.5-3 during the day taking fennel tea to improve my supply and thought I was doing all I could. Went to GP yest evening she checked him over nad said he was absolutley fine no dehydration etc just the weight gain prob. She said to stay with the breastfeeding for a week and then reassess. Just don't know where we are going wrong feel very demoralised with myself for producing big baby which I cant manage to feed myself any advice ????

[OnlyWantsOne]

first of all CONGRATULATIONS and well done :)

There will be lots of support come along for you - ive read similar problems to this before so you are not alone i promise

:)

[sassie23]

thanks onlywantsone first post should read feeding 2 hours during the day and 2.5-3 during the night sorry bit knackered this morning

[sobloodystupid]

I thought my ds was big at 9 Ibs! Congratulations! I had similar probs with ds born last year, he was much slower at gaining weight than his tiny sister... Anyway I bfd to 5/6 weeks then I thought he was feeding too much

[cantthinkofagoodname]

First of all was he weighed on the same scales each time? This can make a big difference and good practice is alwats to use the same scales. Also if HV put the scales on carpet or uneven floor it'll be inaccurate

secondly how are the nappies? Lots of poo and wee means he's taking enough milk in.

How is he ih himself? Happy? Alert? All good signs.

Does the latch seem good? No pain?

No dehydration is really positive as it means he's getting enough fluids which, unless you are giving him water, will mean he's getting enough milk.

Stick with it, you are doing a fab job and your son is lucky to have a mum who wants to get this sorted for him. Of course you've enough milk, people breastfeed twins so please don't worry!

I had the same worries with slow milk coming in and a big baby, and I remember spending a weekend crying because I thought I couldn't feed her. But I could and 8 months later we're still going and she's 23 pounds!

If, in a week he's still not gaining, please don't give up. Ask for a peadiatricc referral to work out what the issue is. It could be something as simple as a tongue tie, if there IS a problem.

My money's on inaccurate weighing though. My DD was once weighed and it was out by almost a whole pound so it does happen.

[sassie23]

thanks for advice but can't think how can you say i have enough milk becasue other people can breastfeed twins surely this is a physically individual situation and not reaaly helped by what others can do comments sorry but feeling very low about my failure to satisfy DS

[Zimm]

I don't have much advice for you but just to day I went through exactly the same thing with DD - it was about 3 weeks before she started gaining again. We are not EBF at 14 weeks and she is on the 65th centile. Stick with the feeding and I'm sure things will turn around for you. I would advise feeding even more if you can - my DD was every 90 minutes during the day at that age. Also you could pump to increase supply and give as top ups? Please don't panic this is such a common situation and you are doing a great job.

[Zimm]

To add - my supply also took a while to get going, but now I have plenty of milk, just feed and feed. I also found a lovely warm bath with DD each day helped to chill us both out and the skin to skin helps with supply alos :-)

[tiktok]

sassie - sorry you have had these upsets. From what you say, your milk supply has not had a chance to get going. 20-40 mls formula top ups after every feed in the first week are a huge amount and have almost certainly slowed things down - best way to combat this is to feed more often (2 hourly in the day and 2-3 hourly in the night is not all that often for a new baby, esp in a 'rescue the milk supply' situation).

You need to feed at least both breasts every time, and to be responding to every feeding cue - sometimes mothers in this situation are told, quite wrongly, to feed on one side only.

It's also worth thinking about how he has been weighed, too - incorrect, inaccurate weighing, incorrect conversion from imperial to metric, dodgy scales....none of it is uncommon.

Good news that the doc has checked things over. Shows all that's needed is some attention to getting more milk into him, and that is easily done :)

[crikeybadger]

Hi Sassie,
I remember you from when you posted before, that you're feeling like this.

You can turn this around and I know it's hard when their weight does go down, but look at the advice that Tiktok has given and just go with that.

A paed. told me that big babies are a sign that they have been well nourished by the placenta and sometimes they do find their 'own line' to follow. There's a bit about this 'catch down' growth in this article from NCT.

Have you managed to get out to a breastfeeding support group - they will be able to see him feeding and just check that the latch is as good as it can be.

One more thing to try is breast compressions. See here and have a look at the videos on the same site.

Try not to worry- the doctor is obviously happy that he is fine so that should reassure you.

If possible, can you just spend the morning/day in bed with DS and just rest and feed and do lots of skin to skin.

Good luck.

[sassie23]

well I have taken the decision to go with top ups again faced with the prospect of being put into hospital again if he diesn't gain within the week. I just refuse to see him go through unecessary blood tests etc again when there is nothing wrong with him except lack of milk. I do feed from both breasts everytimg and sometimes back to the first at night we are sometimes going 2hourly and during the day every 1.5 hours so really can't see how we improve on this. My breasts really don't feel as if they are getting the time to fill up in between feeds and this coupled with a third degree tear has left me feeling really really low. Think I am doing the best I can...

[tiktok]

What you're doing with the freq feeds sounds fine, sassie - don't think that empty-feeling breasts are empty and you really really really don't need to worry about breasts 'not having time to fill up'....that is the opposite of how breastfeeding works :)

Full breasts slow down milk production. Not good. Emptier breasts speed it up. Good.

There is always milk there, even if it doesn't feel like it.

Breasts which are being 'used' every 1.5 hours will not normally feel full - that's a good thing.

[sassie23]

I really do want to continue as long as possible its all theconflicting advice you get from HV midwives here etc feels like you don't know which way to turn but I truly feel as long as I keep feeding the top ups won't do any harm just give him a build up thanks tiktok

[crikeybadger]

You are doing the best you can Sassie
Look, he's healthy, he's not dehydrated, it's just the number on the scales that are worrying you.
Breasts aren't buckets, like Tiktok says, they don't fill up- they are more like rivers.
If you get time, then have a read of this which is brilliant.

Stick at it, it will get easier, honest it really will.

[tiktok]

sassie - the doc said to stick with bf only for a week, and your baby was fine.

I think your confidence has been shattered :( :(...why not listen to the doc??

[Summerbird73]

Do what you want to do - please do not be bullied by the HV's to exclusively breast feed if that is not what you want to do.

If you want to mix feed then do so. This happened to me and my 10lb baby and i ended up exlusively FFing. It was hard as i was pressured by the MW/HV into trying to BF but i just couldnt cope with feeding non stop for 3 hours on dry boobs!

Give mix feeding with the top ups a go, it will give you a break too (and your DH/DP can get involved to help you out)

Good luck - i know how you are feeling

[crikeybadger]

How are you getting on now Sassie?